Replacement
by kaze karter
Summary: Kelly returns home broken hearted, Silver's there to make it all better. If she can.


Disclaimer-don't own sue.

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One-shot

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The door clicked, it was soft, quiet enough to not awaken the child in her arms and yet it was loud enough to rouse the teenager sleeping rooms away, but then again she'd been buzzed with trepidation for days now, maybe that made her extra alert.

Kelly held Sammy gently in her arms, his blonde head resting on her shoulder, he was light but she still felt weighed down, like lead was icing her arms, she shuffled her feet on the carpet as she entered the living room and ever-so-gently lay her son down on the couch, lifting a small woven blanket up to his shoulders. The little boy murmured and she brushed his forehead softly, stilling him immediately.

Kelly sighed, her shoulders rolling back, her neck was aching but it was close to early morning and Silver would be up soon, she'd have to have her game face on by then, after all Kelly was the rock, she couldn't falter.

She moved to the kitchen her hands getting shakier every step she took, she stopped as her feet changed form carpet to tiles and the chill that came with it seemed to be a representation of more then that. Of loneliness.

"_Kel…I'm sorry."_

"_You're sorry but you won't take it back."_

_He shook his head. "I can't."_

"_Then neither can I."_

She lit the stove with a flick of her wrist and once again felt the regret bubble up from her insides, threatening to suffocate her, make her run straight back to him and start this whole thing over again.

It was Donna who had said it first, "You always do."

"What?"

It was Silver who had said it last. "Run back to him."

She wasn't going to anymore, that chance was the last, the last he would get, the realisation that she would never again--as they say--run back to him made her insides squirm, it was final now, she was alone, no more chances.

She sighed again and the back of her eyelids prickled, her nose burnt and the tears threatened to fall.

"Kel?"

Kelly jumped, swinging around and pushing her back to the counter top so she could greet her little sister with a massive smile, to show that everything was alright.

Silver was bleary eyed and drowsy from sleep, but she still frowned at her sister doubtfully. "You're back early." She said simply.

Kelly shrugged, her face aching from the force of keeping the smile up, she turned back to the stove and snagged a pan, heating it slowly, "Yeah well, you know…" she trailed off as if it was obvious.

"No, I don't know." Kelly glanced back over her shoulder and groaned inwardly, Silver's eyes were wide awake and watching her deftly.

"He-he," she stuttered, "was busy; needed to keep moving, but its okay, we got everything out, talked. We didn't need the extra time."

She would have killed for the extra time.

"_We can't just leave it like this." He pleaded_

"_We have to." She said, "I can't have it any other way Dylan, closure, one way or the other, that's the only reason I'm here."_

"_Kel—"_

"_Time to make a decision."_

"_You can't expect me to—"_

"_Yes I can Dylan. I've spent years not expecting anything from you, this time, this one time, I am."_

"Do you want eggs, I was thinking of going all out, Sammy's exhausted, he could use it." She moved to the fridge, prying it open and retrieving the eggs and some milk, popping the door closed with her hip. She looked expectantly at Silver who hadn't taken her blue, Taylor-esque eyes off her.

"No thanks."

"Toast?"

"Kel—"

"What?" Kelly asked turning, her eyes wide, praying Silver wouldn't dare, her Betty Crocker smile still firmly in place, the inner turmoil reflected nowhere visible.

But Silver didn't need to see it, to know something was wrong. She was good like that.

Kelly turned back to the counter top, depositing her items and pulling up a cutting board, her hands a bit unsteady on the handle of the knife she held, she saw her reflection in the blade and let out a shaky breath, her eyes blurring with tears.

Silver saw her shoulders go limp and no longer cared about pressing the wrong buttons, she walked forward and stood behind her sister, laying her tanned hand over Kelly's lighter one and gently knocking the knife out of her grip, it hit the countertop with a clang and Kelly broke.

Her shoulders quaked and tears slipped form her eyes and she couldn't be bothered to stop the sobs that racked her lungs.

Silver swallowed, wrapping her arms easily around Kelly's waist and hugging her. Kelly's knee's shook and she collapsed into her sister.

Slowly they sat, on the kitchen floor, Silver's back leaning against the floor cupboards, holding Kelly tightly as she cried, her tears turning the material of her shirt dark.

Silver didn't need to say anything, because she knew that if she spoke words, they would somehow remind Kelly of something _he_ had once said, after all, there was years between them whatever comforting words she had on her tongue had most likely already been used and would only bring back painful memories of everything he had done for her.

Instead she leaned her chin against the top of her sister's head and just let her cry, she'd fall asleep soon, exhaustion finally allowing her a reprieve. Until then Silver was happy to sit, to play the elder sister, to be the rock until Kelly realised that she didn't need him to stand, that she had never needed to run back to him in the first place.

"_But what happens to us?"_

"_We've been on hold for too long Dylan, other people have replaced you, I can't keep putting them off for something I no longer have."_

"_Who? A guy?"_

_Kelly snorted, giving him a rye smile, "I choose me Dylan…and my kid and my sister…and my friends."_

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_Flames welcome :) _


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